How is Smaller Indiana helping to grow YOUR business?

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Permalink Reply by Andrea Fagan on October 13, 2008 at 11:31am

For Marian College, I would say Smaller Indiana is helping us gain valuable exposure. The people I know already who are here, and the new friends I'm meeting here, are part of a different kind of network, one that can't be reached easily unless you are here. It is relatively easy to reach decision influencers, but it's not easy to influence them--the people on Smaller Indiana represent those who "influence-the-influencers" and it's been a great place for share what Marian College is all about and what we are trying to do with our approach to higher education.

There is room for more conversations, I think. Measuring the impact is important (good marketing measure, according to Seth Godin), as long as it is also relevant.

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Permalink Reply by Kyle Lacy on October 13, 2008 at 11:42am

Smaller Indiana has had a massive influence on my branding, both personally and for my company. I have had the pleasure of meeting a good amount of business owners, artists, technologist, and environmentalists (to name a few). I have seen an increase in market exposure that I would have not received anywhere else. Other than the Rainmakers Networking Group, Smaller Indiana has been the driving force for my business and social networking!

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Hanger on October 13, 2008 at 11:56am

I received about a dozen suggestions for local talented keynote speakers and trainers. Most I had not heard of despite being in this work for 20 years. Peer recommendations were priceless.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Young on October 13, 2008 at 12:28pm

I signed up awhile back and haven't had the time to get online and share what it is we do. We are a Screenprinting company located on the West Side of Indianapolis. Our Business name is To A Tee, we have three machines and can do up to fourteen colors.
This is the first time I've actually put what it is I do online, maybe by doing this it might reach those that might need something done for their organization, or business.
From what I read on here I think this is a pretty nice paper and can see it's for small business owners to reach out.
Thank you

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Permalink Reply by Hazel "The Queen" Walker on October 13, 2008 at 12:40pm

I have gotten some very good exposure, but no $$ that I can trace back to Smaller Indiana since most people on this site do not know what I do I would not expect to get business from here. I do like to read Kyle's material as well as the Arts and Political Blogging. It is facitating to read and to share opinions.

I tell most people in my programs this is a good place to get local exposure personally but they cannot promote professioonally for that they need to meet people one on one. And I will say that I have not done much of that.

As I tell my clients, "if you are not getting business from your networking it is all YOUR Fault" So, I would say that it is all my fault since I have not taken time to meet people one to one who are on this site.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Young on October 13, 2008 at 12:48pm

You are right on that.

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Permalink Reply by Dustin Sparks on October 13, 2008 at 1:13pm

As a student at Ball State and a young professional, networking has been incredibly important to the success I've had so far.
It was all jump started back in January - February last year when I discovered Smaller Indiana and began looking for Internships/summer jobs locally. I posted my skillset and mentioned the work I've done and the work I plan to do on the message boards here. Within a few hours I had about 6 responses from people offering me positions, interviews, or freelance work.

Before I started looking, I had one company in mind that I really wanted to work with, and had worked with them indirectly for about 2 years prior. I tried to contact them directly, and even sent in some portfolio work, cover letters, and resumes, but they were all lost in the waves of resumes that this company receives. I actually even had some contacts directly within the company, but somehow I could never get through to the people who made the decisions to hire me.

After posting on Smaller Indiana and some other sites just like it (IndyAdGab in particular), I was able to make an impact in the local market and people began to recognize my name a little bit. Eventually, after interviewing with about 12 different places in central IN, the company that I was looking at sent me a private message on SI and offered me an Interview. After the first interview I knew thats where I wanted to be, and they knew it also.

I ended up working there for the summer as a temporary employee (not technically an intern), and built my resume pretty well. Now I work with companies all over the US doing freelance work and am making over 6x as much as I was before I discovered SI (my hourly pay went up from $7.50 /hr to $45 /hr on average).

I've used this experience to help out other fellow students and am now delegating work to others and teaching them to network using the various social networks and more classic networking in order to take advantage of the same opportunities that I had.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Stuck on October 13, 2008 at 1:25pm

Pat, met my lawyer through your site. Had a lawsuit on a business that owed me money. Proud to say I deposited the first check last night (cross your finers it goes through).

I have also been contacted and consulted some people in business on gas and oil from people they know on SI.

Thanks for the site.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Young on October 13, 2008 at 2:12pm

Everyone seems to be jumping in now. This looks good to me.

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Permalink Reply by john blue on October 13, 2008 at 2:38pm

Is this like asking to prove water is wet and air is breathable? :)

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Permalink Reply by James W. Burnes on October 13, 2008 at 2:44pm

I'm reading the various replies and want to note that branding and awareness is NOT a measurable impact on the local economy that Pat is asking for. If you have specific business deals that have increased your business and there is a bottom line, positive impact from that business then it would be helpful.

Too many business owners consider bigger exposure as 'results'. In tough economic times it is unreasonable to consider exposure alone to have value, unless that exposure is netting revenue that has a positive impact.

Most of us would rarely consider 100 additional prospects who know our name (or what we do) more valuable than 1 customer who spends money with us buying out goods and services. I know I'll take one customer who will write a check having more value than a room full of people who know my business but never buy my services.

I challenge everyone in this thread to be able to document the value of the platform. It should be these defined, revenue-centric results that can help Pat showcase the value SmallerIndiana.com is delivering to the market. Otherwise, all we're offering up is kudos to a site that generates a wider friend base.

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Permalink Reply by Pat Coyle on October 13, 2008 at 3:07pm

Thanks, James :-)

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